


Each scar tells a story (and beauty magazines can fuck off)

by Captain_Who_Avoids_Death



Series: Little Things [3]
Category: The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Izzy has body issues, Self-Hatred, body issues, but Izzy is amazing, but clary helps her, it's a hc of mine that izzy as body issues, they're besties, this is basically what i wish someone would tell me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:34:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29555709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Who_Avoids_Death/pseuds/Captain_Who_Avoids_Death
Summary: Izzy's been dealing with some self-image issues and Clary helps here
Series: Little Things [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2156412
Kudos: 1





	Each scar tells a story (and beauty magazines can fuck off)

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warnings for:- Self hatred, Body Image issues

Isabelle Lightwood’s beauty is a weapon. That’s all it was to her, a tool to utilize, to lure demons to their death, that’s all she ever used it for. A flick of her hair, a swish of her hips and a hidden smile and all of them would fall over themselves, lost in their lust.

But she saw the things they never did, the calloused hands, chipped and rough from training and missions, stretch marks that decorated her thighs and the long faded scars from wounds that littered her torso, the ones she glamoured.

After the war with Sebastian, they had a lot more free time on their hands, demons having decided to cut down on the attacks. Most of these days were spent at the farmhouse where Magnus had installed a daily portal, should they be needed at the Institute. Her days were now filled campfires and lazing by the lake shore.   
It wasn’t anything big but Izzy couldn’t contain her surprise when Clary came by the lake in nothing more than booty shorts and a bikini top, stretch marks standing out starkly against her skin, her scars still not quite faded.

“What?” she looked confused,

Izzy gestured towards the stretch marks, “Those marks, aren’t you supposed to, you know… cover them?” Clary squinted at her, green eyes narrowing, “Why would I do that?” She shrugs, “I don’t know, the magazines always say we’re supposed to cover stuff like that up.” Clary grunts and plops down next to her, dangling her feet in the water, “Those magazines also promote an unhealthy body image for women to live up to and advocate a toxic diet culture that revolves around being skinny and the idea that you’re never going to be perfect the way you are. Besides,” she kicks her feet a, creating little ripples, “You don’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. You just have to be you.” Izzy blinks, “But…” Clary sighs, “This is when I really hate Shadowhunter culture and the constant shielding of their young Shadowhunters from mundane culture,” at Izzy’s confused look, she continues, “These magazines do nothing but look for profit, they set up severely unattainable standards for young women all over the world and make money off of them. Same with men. They make us find faults in our body’s that aren’t actually faults and just normal and manipulate us into thinking they’re ugly. Stretch marks? They aren’t ugly, not at all, never have been, never will be. I used to think they were, hated the way they looked, same with my stomach and my thighs, in fact,” She grins up at Izzy, “I was insanely jealous of you. You were everything I wanted to be, tall, graceful, and thin and a total badass” 

She rubs her neck, “It took me a while to get over it but in the end I realized that I would only love myself if I accepted myself. That it was probably the best way for me to love myself. It wasn’t easy and there are still days where I feel terrible but I know I love my body and that I wouldn’t change it for all the money in the world. If you feel the same way Izzy, trust me, I know what it feels like, to hate the parts that no one else sees, to wish for them to disappear, to want a new body, one without imperfections but those imperfections are what makes you you.”

Izzy stares at her hands, “I never did like them,” her voice is quiet, “I used to see the magazines on stands on our way back from missions or when I just walked around the city. Every single one of them had picture perfect models. Not a blemish, not a scar. I remember thinking, “I wanna be like that,” I bought one of them and they had a recipe for making stretch marks fade and another for removing scars. I’d never thought about it. Never thought of them as anything but ordinary. I hated them ever since.”

Clary slings an arm around her and leans her head on her shoulder, “It’s what they do Iz. They plant seeds of doubt in your head about things that were never thought about before and profit off of it. Those scars on your hands? Izzy, they’re trophies of war, a testament to how hard you work and your bravery, there is nothing ugly about them. Stretch marks? That’s your body growing. That’s natural and unavoidable, it’s not something to hide. Every scar, every blemish and every mark tells a story, some are pretty boring, say puberty and some are pretty fucking exciting, like the one behind that one,” She points towards one that runs across Izzy’s palm, “We were on a bridge fighting off a nest of Shax demons when one of the newbie’s fell off and you leaped right over and grabbed her hand movie style, your other hand had latched into the spiked edge of the bridge fence and it pretty much embedded itself into your palm.” 

Izzy smiles, it had been pretty painful but she remembers how everyone had slapped her on the back and congratulated her. Clary smiles at her, “Your body is beautiful Iz and yeah, it’ll take some time to completely embrace it but just know that it is.”   
Izzy smiles at her and she leans against Clary, head resting on top of the redhead’s, “Thanks Clary,” “Anytime Izzy.” She pauses, “Can I borrow that blue halter top of yours?” “Absolutely not.” “Dammit.”


End file.
